Indeed -
We also need to get a recruitment team that are willing to roll up their sleeves and get a bit dirty. Why aren't we throwing spurious deals out there to stars to drive up the prices like other clubs do to us? Kearny's up for renewal? Great! 1.1mil mate, come on over! We know he won't take it, but his agent would run with the verbal back to the rorters and push up the price for sure. I'd say the tits are guilty of this with Fifi, but, to be honest, I think they're just an absolute loose cannon at the moment.
Clubs have been playing the recruitment game better than us for decades. Storm drove up Milfs price and who even knows is Bellamy was dead set on it (as a recent example where we got totally shafted). Not to mention how much we paid for Bird (even ignoring his horror run with injuries) - who the F*** pays almost a million a year for a bloody centre? That's Tedesco money....
We also need to repair whatever damage was done between the club and the Jets for the next time that partnership is up for renewal and re-secure that pathway. Was absolutely self inflicted nonsense to break down that relationship.
Even if we cannot get success at the top level for a number of years, we should be at least be the most respected mob in town with clubs throwing their talent at us because of how well we look after them (the clubs and the players).
Then there's our new recruits, the next Locky, the next Hancock, the next this or that or the other. STOP! I know the media is largely to blame here but the club should be actively pouring cold water on that talk. No, this 18 year old kid, does not need to live up to any former club legend. Let them be them, see how they go and if they can make it, wonderful. Why add stupid expectation to burden our new generation of players because the reality is, most 17/18/19 year olds don't actually make it, those that do, some go on to be good, few go on to be great.